By Hafsa Obeng, GNA
Accra, May 4, GNA – The Ghana Mineworkers’ Union (GMWU) has honoured Mr Eric Asubonteng, former Senior Vice President – Africa (NoJVs) at AngloGold Ashanti, for his outstanding contribution to the welfare of mineworkers and the growth of Ghana’s mining industry.
The special award was presented to him during the National May Day Parade held in Koforidua.
The Union said the recognition was in appreciation of Mr Asubonteng’s decades-long commitment to promoting fair labour practices, worker safety, and sustainable development within the mining sector.
Mr Asubonteng, a chartered accountant with more than 23 years of executive leadership experience, has played a significant role in strengthening dialogue among mining companies, government, and organised labour.
As former President of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, he was noted for championing policies aimed at balancing productivity with worker welfare and dignity.
His contributions to industry leadership earned him the Overall Outstanding Business Leader of the Year in 2019 and Mining Personality of the Year 2023.
Receiving the award, Mr Asubonteng dedicated it to mineworkers across the country.
“This honour belongs to every mineworker who goes underground or into the pit each day. My role has always been to ensure that the wealth we create from Ghana’s soil translates into safer conditions, fair wages, and real opportunity for the men and women who make this industry possible,” he said.
Mr Asubonteng said collaboration between management and organised labour remained critical to the future of the mining industry.
“Partnership with unions like GMWU is not optional, it is the foundation of a sustainable mining future,” he added.
Mr Abdul-Moomin Gbana, the General Secretary of the GMWU, described Mr Asubonteng as a leader who combined sound business management with a deep commitment to worker welfare.
“Comrade Asubonteng represents the kind of leadership our industry needs, firm on business, but unwavering on worker welfare. He listened when it mattered, negotiated in good faith, and understood that no mine can thrive if its workers are left behind,” he stated.
He said the Union was honouring not only an individual but also the standard of engagement it expected from mining executives in the country.
Mr Gbana affirmed the GMWU’s commitment to collective action and urged stakeholders in the mining sector to deepen collaboration in the face of current operational and economic challenges.
He noted that the award to Mr Asubonteng demonstrated that meaningful progress could be achieved when industry and labour embraced dialogue over division.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe
Reporter: Hafsa Obeng
[email protected]